Sapphire Logistics and Consultancy Ltd

Further education and skills inspection report

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Inspection of Sapphire Logistics and Consultancy Ltd

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Apprenticeships Requires improvement Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this provider

Sapphire Logistics and Consultancy Limited is an independent training provider based in Dudley, specialising in training for the care and early years sectors. Established in 2018, the provider currently offers a range of commercial training and has held a contract to provide apprenticeships since April 2020.

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Information about this provider

At the time of the visit, 94 apprentices were in learning, nine of whom were under the age of 19. All apprentices were following standards-based apprenticeships, of which 24 were on the level 3 early years educator, 15 on the level 3 lead adult care worker, 16 on the level 5 early years lead practitioner, 13 on the level 2 adult care worker, 12 on the level 5 leader in adult care, eight on the level 2 early years practitioner and six on the level 4 lead practitioner in adult care. 9 to 11 August 2023

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What is it like to be a learner with this provider?

Apprentices enjoy their learning and speak positively about their experience as an apprentice. Their confidence at work increases, and they are better equipped to take on new responsibilities and support their work colleagues. For example, level 3 lead adult care worker apprentices improve their people management skills and become more confident when communicating with service users, family members and other health care professionals.

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What is it like to be a learner with this provider?

Apprentices value the support and encouragement that they receive from their development coach. They receive regular phone calls and are encouraged to check in with their development coach in between visits. As a result, most apprentices are motivated to achieve their apprenticeship.

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What is it like to be a learner with this provider?

A small minority of adult care apprentices have experienced changes in development coaches. This has resulted in periods without support and has caused frustration as it has delayed their progress.

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What is it like to be a learner with this provider?

Apprentices value the sector experience that development coaches have. Development coaches understand the challenges and pressures of working in the adult care and early years sector. They are flexible with apprentices and help them to manage their studies and workplace priorities.

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What is it like to be a learner with this provider?

Apprentices and their employers value the face-to-face support that development coaches provide. These visits allow for regular conversations and updates on apprentices’ progress and well-being.

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What is it like to be a learner with this provider?

Apprentices feel safe. They know who to report any safeguarding concerns to. They have confidence that the provider’s staff would treat any concerns they report seriously and sensitively.

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better?

Leaders and managers have a clear rationale for the curriculums that they offer. They have selected curriculums that serve the need of the local region to provide a skilled workforce for the health and social care and early years sectors. The curriculums offer a clear pathway from level 2 through to level 5 leadership roles.

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better?

Leaders have appropriate governance arrangements in place. However, the governance board does not receive sufficiently detailed information on matters such as the quality of teaching, learning and assessment, data relating to attendance and information on how different groups of apprentices progress with their careers once they leave their apprenticeship. This limits its ability to challenge leaders sufficiently well to improve all aspects of the provision further.

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better?

Leaders and managers have rightly recognised the need to reduce the number of apprentices who leave their apprenticeship early. They have implemented several 9 to 11 August 2023

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changes to monitor apprentices’ progress and involve employers more in supporting apprentices to achieve. For example, they have recruited a new management team that has apprenticeship and sector expertise. They have revised the onboarding process to ensure that apprentices and employers understand the commitment required to complete the apprenticeship. These initiatives are starting to show early signs of impact.

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Development coaches capture information about what apprentices already know and can do at the start of their apprenticeship. This information is used to monitor apprentices’ progress over time. However, the information is not used effectively to plan and sequence teaching to ensure that all apprentices can develop substantial new knowledge, skills and behaviours in relation to their starting point.

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Development coaches do not make use of effective teaching strategies. Too often teaching is fast-paced and focuses on the completion of assessment tasks. Teaching methods lack variety to ensure that apprentices learn key concepts and remember more over time.

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Most apprentices receive their entitlement to off-the-job training to complete their studies. Apprentices feel that off-the-job learning is useful and supports apprentices to apply theories to their practice. For example, level 5 early years lead practitioner apprentices apply their learning on early years education approaches to ensure children’s free choice and learning in their nursery setting. However, in a small minority of instances, apprentices complete their studies in their own time due to the demands of their roles.

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In adult care settings, employers do not routinely attend apprentices’ reviews of progress. As a result, employers do not know what apprentices are learning from month to month and do not support them to plan on- and off-the-job opportunities for their apprentices to practise and apply their learning.

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In early years settings, apprentices' on- and off-the-job training is well planned with employers. As a result, apprentices can swiftly apply their learning at work. For example, level 5 early years lead practitioner apprentices implement their learning on longitudinal studies of children in their own nursery setting to track the progress that children are making more effectively.

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Apprentices who need their English and mathematics qualifications to pass their apprenticeship receive support and access to resources to help them prepare for their examinations. However, development coaches do not actively support English and mathematics skills development for apprentices who have already achieved their qualifications. As a result, these apprentices do not routinely develop their English and mathematics skills to help them prepare for their next steps at work or in education.

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Development coaches provide feedback to apprentices that is overly affirmative. Feedback does not tell apprentices how to improve their work so that they can strive towards the highest grades. For example, apprentices make limited progress 9 to 11 August 2023

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towards the development of level-appropriate academic writing skills.

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Most apprentices develop useful new knowledge, skills and behaviours that employers value. They become more confident in their roles as adult care or early years professionals. For example, level 3 early years educators learn about child development milestones, how they can support children to meet these milestones and what factors might prevent a child from reaching their age-appropriate milestones.

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A small minority of level 2 adult care worker apprentices do not develop substantial new knowledge, skills and behaviours through their apprenticeship. This is largely due to changes in development coach and periods without consistent teaching and support.

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Development coaches provide apprentices with useful careers education, advice and guidance. As a result, apprentices understand the opportunities the apprenticeship will create for them. For example, early years apprentices understand about opportunities for studying in higher education and careers in primary school settings. Adult care apprentices are informed about pathways into nursing or care home management.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Managers responsible for overseeing safeguarding record and monitor safeguarding incidents effectively. Staff with responsibility for safeguarding are suitably qualified to carry out the role.

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Safeguarding

Safeguarding officers have useful links with specialist agencies, including the local authority safeguarding board, the regional ‘Prevent’ duty coordinator and the police, and use these links well. Staff are trained to understand a wide range of topics, including forced marriage, protecting children from sexual abuse, domestic abuse and mental health. Staff are vigilant to the signs that may indicate apprentices’ vulnerability. Staff make appropriate referrals where necessary.

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Safeguarding

Managers do not ensure that young apprentices learn about sexual harassment and violence. Apprentices learn about healthy workplace relationships but not about healthy relationships outside of work and the signs and risks of coercive control and abuse.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Leaders should ensure that the governance board receives sufficiently detailed information to allow it to challenge leaders to improve all aspects of the provision.  Leaders and managers should ensure that they monitor the impact of the changes they have introduced to reduce the number of apprentices who leave 9 to 11 August 2023

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their apprenticeship early.  Leaders and managers should ensure that development coaches use information about what apprentices already know and can do to plan their learning so that all apprentices develop substantial new knowledge, skills and behaviours.  Leaders should ensure that development coaches use a variety of teaching strategies to support apprentices to know more and remember more.  Leaders should ensure that all apprentices receive their entitlement to off-the-job time to complete their studies and that all line managers routinely attend apprentices’ progress reviews so that they are involved in on- and off-the-job planning.  Leaders should ensure that apprentices who have already achieved their English and mathematics qualifications continue to develop their skills in preparation for their next steps.  Leaders and managers should ensure that development coaches provide feedback that supports apprentices to improve their work to the highest standard of which

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they are capable.  Leaders should ensure that young apprentices learn about healthy relationships outside of work, including topics such as sexual harassment and violence, coercive control and abuse. 9 to 11 August 2023

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Provider details

Address Office 3-3a First Floor Old School House Church Road Dudley DY2 0LY

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Provider details

Principal, CEO or equivalent Harpal Baines

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Provider details

Provider type Independent learning provider

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Provider details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Provider details

Main subcontractors None 9 to 11 August 2023

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the managing director, as nominee. Inspectors took account of the provider’s most recent self-assessment report and development plans, and the previous inspection report. The inspection was carried out using the further education and skills inspection handbook and took into account all relevant provision at the provider. Inspectors collected a wide range of evidence to inform judgements, including visiting learning sessions, scrutinising learners’ work, seeking the views of learners, staff and other stakeholders, and examining the provider’s documentation and records.

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Inspection team

Rachel Clark, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Victor Reid His Majesty’s Inspector Steve Kelly Ofsted Inspector Sarah Le-Good Ofsted Inspector Suzanne Horner His Majesty’s Inspector 9 to 11 August 2023

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regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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